French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM said it has entered exclusive negotiations to acquire Brut, the online video news outlet popular on social-media platforms. The talks, announced on 4 July, are being conducted through CMA Media, the company’s media subsidiary. CMA CGM, controlled by billionaire Rodolphe Saadé, is already a shareholder in Brut and has built a growing media portfolio that includes La Tribune Dimanche, BFMTV and regional daily La Provence. Saadé said adding Brut would "strengthen" the group’s digital footprint. Founded in 2016, Paris-based Brut has raised about €140 million from investors such as Xavier Niel, François-Henri Pinault’s Artemis and Orange. The platform, which employs roughly 250 people, claims to reach around 500 million viewers each month across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat, and has been profitable since the final quarter of 2023.